George Clooney has evolved from bitter rival to devoted friend — the two A-listers buried the hatchet long ago and went on to collaborate in the beloved 'Ocean's Eleven' franchise, proving that Hollywood grudges can always be repaired.
Sources say Clooney was SEETHING after losing J.D. to Pitt in 1991 — apparently his ego took a major hit when the unknown actor beat out an established star for what became Pitt's breakout role. The wound ran deep enough that Clooney brought it up unprompted decades later.
Geena Davis confirmed on 'Watch What Happens Live' (May 15, 2026) that George Clooney told her: 'I hate him because he got the part in Thelma & Louise.' When asked if he'd wanted the role, Clooney replied: 'Couldn't you tell when I read with you?' The J.D. role launched Brad Pitt's career in the 1991 film.
Three decades later and Clooney still can't let it go — this is the kind of Hollywood bitterness that runs deeper than any red carpet friendship. Call it competitive, call it petty, but at least it's honest.
Geena Davis just dropped a bombshell on 'Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen,' and it involves two of Hollywood's most famous best friends having what we can only describe as an extremely awkward moment of honesty. During her Thursday night appearance alongside Nathan Fillion, Davis recounted a flight where she found herself seated next to George Clooney — who was apparently in a "very gregarious" and "talkative" mood. The flight crew greeted Davis expectantly at the plane entrance, hinting at who she'd be sitting beside.
After some playful back-and-forth with Clooney about their seating arrangement, the conversation took a dramatic turn when Brad Pitt's name came up. That's when Clooney dropped the confession that would make any 'Ocean's Eleven' fan do a double-take. "And at one point, we're talking about Brad Pitt, and he says, 'You know, I hate that Brad Pitt,'" Davis recalled to Cohen and Fillion.
"I said, 'No, you don't. Isn't he like your best friend or something?'" Clooney's response? "'No, I hate him because he got the part in Thelma & Louise.'" Davis, never one to let a dramatic claim go unchallenged, pressed further: "'Oh, did you want to get that part?' And he said, 'Couldn't you tell when I read with you?'" The shade! The audacity!
Clooney apparently auditioned for the role of J.D., the hustler who crosses paths with Davis and Susan Sarandon's characters on their infamous road trip — but lost out to Pitt. Here's where it gets delicious: that 1991 film became Brad Pitt's breakout performance, launching him into the stratosphere of A-list stardom. Meanwhile, Clooney had to watch his future 'Ocean's Eleven' co-star snag the role that changed everything for him.
Andy Cohen, never missing a chance to stir the pot, told Davis that the film found "the right guy" with Pitt — and honestly? He's not wrong. Davis also revealed she famously went to bat for Pitt during the audition process, though she insists he earned it on merit.
When asked by Cohen what it was like kissing young Brad Pitt in the film, Davis jokingly deflected before Fillion offered up "memorable" and "sublime" — descriptors she agreed with. So there you have it: George Clooney held a decades-long grudge over a role he never got, and now he's best friends with the guy who took it from him. Hollywood really is just high school with better catering.
